The music blared loudly, and could be heard from miles away, and same with the cheers of victory. It was almost dawn, yet the party was still in full swing. Almost everyone was drunk, and they were in for a hell of a hangover the next morning. The Rebels had just blown up the Death Star; a huge moon-like space station, with the ability to blow up an entire planet with one single laser blast. And it did; Princess Organa's home planet of Alderaan.
She was the only one not celebrating; she was grieving for the loss of her planet. She lost everything; her family, friends, her palace…She did not see why the rest of the Alliance was out getting drunk when millions of innocent people had just lost their lives. And it had been her fault. She knew it; she should never have told Tarkin anything. So what if she has been tortured, raped or even killed? It would be one life, saving millions. At least that was her theory.
She sat on the steps of the temple's balcony, overlooking the stars. Her father had once told her that even though he may not be with her, she could always look up at the stars, and he'd be up there, watching over her. She now felt horrible that it was her fault he was up there. An agonizing pain rippled through her, bringing her to the ground. She laid there for awhile, and she cried.
She couldn't remember the last time she had cried, let alone shed a single tear. She had always been so strong; she never let her emotions get in the way of anything. They were only a distraction, a petty excuse for failing. Everything she loved died. She kept distances from people and hid away her feelings so it wouldn't happen again. She couldn't handle the pain, the guilt from knowing it was her fault. It had happened too often in the past, and she wouldn't let it happen again. She couldn't.
The cool night breeze blew past her, teasing her with its feather-light touch. It played with her long brown hair, made it dance. She pulled the pins out of her hair, enjoying the feel of the soft locks against her skin. The subtle smell of rain tickled her nose; she always loved rain. The sound of it entranced her as it hit the concrete, the drops extinguishing the moment they touched the ground. The raindrops mingled with her tears, soaking her dress. But she didn't care. The rain soothed her, relaxed her, made her think everything was okay. It was as if the rain washed away her pain, made her a different person.
She heard the faint sound of footsteps behind her, but she didn't look back. She realized if she never looked back, the pain couldn't catch up with her. She focused on the rain in front of her, holding her palm out and relishing the feel of the falling drops.
"Hey," A deep voice called out from behind her. He walked up to her and sat down next to the girl. "What're you doing out here?" He asked softly, handing her a drink. The princess gladly accepted it and took a big sip, hoping the alcohol would cloud her thoughts.
"Mourning, I suppose," Leia answered bluntly, before taking another large sip of the wine. It was too sweet, but she didn't care. She wanted to get as intoxicated as possible, so she could forget everything happened.
"You've been crying," Han Solo, Corellian pilot and smuggler, commented, taking a sip of his ale. The princess didn't want him here; he was cocky, conceded, selfish, and downright impossible. He was only in it for the money, she knew; he even told her. It had stung, but she didn't make a fuss about it; she pretended she didn't care that he was probably going to leave. But deep down, it killed her. She wasn't sure why; she didn't even like him. Much too scruffy-looking for her tastes, and he was such a scoundrel.
"What's it to you?" Leia sniffled, wiping her eyes fiercely. He saw through her tough composure, though, and offered her a handkerchief. She smiled half-heartedly at him despite the tears, and wiped her eyes on the small piece of cloth. "Did Luke ask you to come out here?" She asked quietly, folding the handkerchief again and again.
He shook his head and took another sip of his ale. "No," He suddenly became very nervous; he figured it might have been because he was in the presence of Leia. Although he wouldn't admit it, he liked her. A lot. She was attractive, smart, witty, funny, and she was good in a fight. It pained him to see her like this; she lost everything. "Just wanted to see how you were doing,"
The princess looked up at him and genuinely smiled at the smuggler. "How sweet," She remarked softly, shifting in her spot on the balcony. "It was all my fault," She whispered to herself, not caring that Solo would probably hear her. She bit her lip, trying to hold back another wave of tears from overcoming her. If there was one thing she would never do, it was cry in front of Han Solo.
"Leia," He said. She didn't respond. "Leia, look at me," She finally looked up at him, her large eyes boring into his. He never saw such big eyes; they were beautiful. Many people would see it as just plain old brown eyes, but he thought that they were the gateway to the soul. Her soul. He knew right then that he would constantly fight to protect the young princess. He couldn't let anything else happen to her. He reached over and plucked the drink out of her small hands, then held them in his large ones. "Leia, none of it was your fault. You had to do what you had to do. Even if they didn't capture you, Alderaan would probably be gone, anyway," She tore her gaze away from him, tears coming to her eyes. He cupped her cheek and forced her to look at him. "Leia, you're strong, okay? And you'll be fine. You wanna know why?" She nodded her head, letting a few tears escape. He brushed his thumb across his cheek, wiping away the tears. "Because you're a fighter. You're gonna make it through this," He swallowed hard before adding, "And I'll be there for you, too."
The distant sounds of cheers were heard, even all the way on the outskirts of the Ewok village. The Emperor and the Death Star II had just been destroyed; it was a huge victory for the Rebels. Darth Vader redeemed himself and became Anakin Skywalker, the Jedi Knight and galactic hero once more. Her brother, Luke, was safe, and he finally became a Jedi. And Han was safe. Her lover, the man who had saved her life in more than one way. She owed her life to him, her heart and soul. She loved him more than anything, and she hoped he knew that.
The rain pelted the grass, the wet dew soaking her bottom. The rain hit her hard, but she just closed her eyes and enjoyed it. She threw her head back and let the rain penetrate her, let it wash away any bitter feelings. Today was a life-changing day; billions of people across the galaxy were now free of the Emperor's laws. Free of him, free of the Empire. The Rebels were now in charge, the way it should be.
This evening was much like it was after the Battle of Yavin. But it was missing something. The rain was there, yes. Leia was all by herself, just her and her thoughts. She realized what was missing; the feeling of guilt, of betrayal, of hurt. Those feelings were gone as soon as Leia decided to accept Han's words on Yavin all those years ago. It seemed like a lifetime ago. But Han and her were together and that's all that mattered. Everyone she loved was safe.
"Hey, princess," The general called from behind her. Exactly like the celebration of the Battle of Yavin, she thought, an amused smile gracing her face.
"Hi," She greeted, patting the spot of grass next to her. He gladly sat down, and automatically threw an arm over the princess's shoulders. She leaned into his embrace, enjoying being loved. "When did you fall in love with me?" She asked quietly, the thought suddenly coming to her head.
"Honestly?" He mused, thinking aloud. "After the Battle of Yavin,"
She smiled, placing a kiss on his neck. "I was just thinking about that, actually,"
"How 'bout you?" He asked, rubbing her back.
"Same time, I guess," She admitted, snuggling closer to him.
"Then I should have done this a long time ago," He pressed his lips to hers, relishing the feel of her soft lips against his. He deepened the kiss and pulled her closer. The rain pelted them, soaking right through their clothes. She shivered, from both the cold water and his electrifying kiss. She snaked her hands up behind his neck, tangling them in his hair and pulling him closer.
"I love you, Han," Leia murmured, as he moved his lips to her jaw.
"I know," He placed another kiss on her lips. "And I love you."